1948 Champions Cup

The 1948 Champions Cup was the 2nd official Champions Cup game, the deciding game(s) of the NERC season. This installment was played between the Buffalo Panthers, who were making their Champions Cup debut, and the Boston Riders, looking to defend their 1947 title.

The Riders would succeed in defending their title, prevailing 15-11 in a tight affair.

Opening
You couldn’t have asked for better weather for the 1948 Champions Cup. Clear Skies, perfect temperature, and a nice cool ocean breeze set the stage for the big game. As the two teams took the field, East Boston Park erupted in cheers, as the hometown Boston Riders looked to defend their 1947 championship, and become the first NERC team to win back-to-back titles. Looking to stop them were the Buffalo Panthers, making their first appearance in the championship game. The two teams played close in the regular season, so it was sure to be a good game of Runty.

First Quarter
The Riders won the opening jump-ball, and the game began. However, the starting pace was extremely slow, with little action. Eventually, there were chances here and there, and the Riders kicked the game’s first point, a long bomb from RB Charles Addison. The pace continued to increase, and the game saw its first Grade-A chances. Artie Booth had a beautiful chance to get the Panthers on the board, but Boston’s Robert Lucas dove across and smothered the attempt, much to the delight of the home crowd. The pace would continue to increase. There was one sequence where Boston hit the post, then Buffalo ran the ball back all the way back to the Riders end, only to hit the post themselves. Eventually, with 3:12 to play, Lucas showcased his offensive ability, kicking the game’s first goal. Buffalo would then win the ensuing jump-ball, and got on the board with a point from C Prince Knight. That would be all the scoring for the first half, and the Riders took a 5-1 lead to the quarter-time huddle.

AFTER 1: Boston 5-1 Buffalo

Second Quarter
The pace died down considerably to start the second quarter. There were still some good rushes, but nothing was getting past either defense. The two teams tried some long shots, though none of them worked out for any points. Meanwhile, the pace picked up considerably in the latter part of the quarter. At one point, the Riders had 11 players in the arc in a wild netfront scramble, but the Panthers miraculously didn’t allow a single point through the whole mess. They got some chances of their own, but they also couldn’t find any points. As the half neared an end, the game approached 25 minutes of play without a point, and the crowd started growing restless. Some fans were questioning if the players were drunk, but no, they were just playing awful. Finally, with 26 seconds to play in the half, Boston’s Bob Nutty kicked a point, and the crowd erupted. Commentator John Low noted “I have never in my life seen a missed shot garner such a positive reaction as this”. The single point meant that Boston now led 6-1 through 48 minutes of play.

AT THE HALF: Boston 6-1 Buffalo

Third Quarter
Both coaches were visibly upset at their players at halftime, and that lit a fire under both teams to start the second half. The two teams had several great rushes to start the half, one of which resulted in Buffalo’s second score of the game, a shot missed just wide for a point. Unfortunately for those watching, the pace died down quickly after, and yet another defensive stalemate endured for the next 10 minutes. At one point, the two teams went 6 minutes without a rush entering either team’s arc, a stat unheard of in Runty. Eventually Lucas, who was by far the best player on the field, took matters into his own hands once more, catching a blocked shot and quickly kicking it past the Buffalo defense for a goal. Boston now led 10-2, and the pace picked back up. Off the ensuing jump-ball, the Riders put together another successful rush, kicking another point. The Panthers would then come right back, and finally, after almost 65 minutes of play, got their first goal off a seeing-eye shot from LB Gerald Sealey. All of a sudden, it actually looked like a game of Runty being played, instead of 30 men stumbling around as if they were drunk. Despite the late increase of pace, there would be no further scoring in the quarter, and Boston held a 5-point lead with 24 minutes to play.

AFTER 3: Boston 11-6 Buffalo

Fourth Quarter
Heading into the fourth, Boston coach Walter Duncan elected to use an all-out offensive press to put the game out of reach. It was a risky move, but it paid off. Alban Good drew a penalty kick 2:30 in, which he converted to make it 15-6. Satisfied with a 9-point lead, Duncan ordered his players to switch to a full defensive press. Unfortunately for Boston, it didn’t work out completely to plan, as Artie Booth caught the Riders off guard and kicked a point while they were still setting up their press. Play after this point wasn’t too exciting, as it mostly consisted of Boston stopping weak Buffalo rushes near midfield. Eventually, Buffalo’s Eric Gallagher collected a nice pass from Booth and converted, making it a 1-goal game with 14 minutes to play. Over the next 10 minutes, the Panthers had multiple great looks to tie, but did everything except score. They had balls kicked off the side of their feet, balls hit the post, balls hit the crossbar, and several great chances saved by Robert Lucas. When the final whistle sounded, all they could do was stand in stunned disbelief. Meanwhile, Boston players, coaches, and fans swarmed around Robert Lucas, who played one of the greatest all-around performances in markball history, scoring twice while saving countless Buffalo chances. In the end, Boston captured the first title repeat in NERC history at home, and the city was alive with joy as nighttime came.

FINAL SCORE: Boston 15-11 Buffalo